Hold My Hand
by CrazyLove345
Summary: A brush of two hands. Skin meeting skin, making fireworks jump off the surface. A locking of two gazes, one hazel and one blue. A Lucian fanfic about desperation, heartbreak, and love all within a matter of three days.


**After watching the Lucy and Ian Ustream the other night, I instantly got the urge to write a Lucian fanfic. Now, I'll be honest, I never really saw them as a couple. I just saw them as two amazing people who just so happen to portray my favorite couple on TV. Now I see them as one in real life too. Because after watching that Ustream, even I could not deny the amazing potential they have of becoming a couple. And then after fangirlling for about two hours, I came up with the following one-shot fanfic. **

**This dedicated to all of those amazing hardcore Lucian shippers on Twitter. Every single one of you.**

**Disclaimer: I am no way affiliated with Lucy or Ian or any of their friends. I am simply just an observer and an innocent Lucian shipper.**

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><p><em>This life don't last forever<br>So tell me what we're waiting for  
>Better off being together<br>Being miserable alone _

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><p>A brush of two hands. Skin meeting skin, making fireworks jump off the surface. A locking of two gazes, one hazel and one blue. Both brown-haired and casually dressed. A laptop sat in front of them, evidence of their video chat for their demanding and wonderful fans earlier that night. Glasses of water sat beside them, half-empty and ready to put in the kitchen sink.<p>

Ian snuck another glance at Lucy as she busily texted someone on her cell phone, her beautiful dark brown hair falling over her shoulders. Her eyes glinted in the faint light of the energy-saving light of his eco-friendly apartment. She was easily the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen and that was saying something; he had met so many pretty women during his few years while living Los Angeles. Lucy, however, was by far the most magnificently beautiful.

She finally finished her long text and turned back to him, a half-smile appearing on her face as she caught him staring at her, "What? Do I have something in my teeth?"

Ian shook his head, his messy hair swooshing at the sides of his face, "No, you're good."

"That's great. Wait, you're not lying to me are you?" She laughed teasingly.

"You know I wouldn't lie to you, Luce. Besides," He finally cracked one of his flirtatious smiles and played with a lock of her hair just to annoy her, "you're the pretty little liar, not me. I just play the teacher with the collection of sweater vests."

She giggled again and shoved his shoulder playfully before getting to her feet, "I have to go. I have those reservations and I can't miss them."

He also stood, brushing his hands on the back of his jeans, "Well, I'll let you go then." Regret planted in the pit of his throat and he forced himself to swallow the large lump, "I had lots of fun tonight. We ought to do it again soon."

Lucy nodded, looking up at him with those glimmering hazel eyes of hers, her longs lashes fluttering at him, causing his heart to pound inside the cavity of his chest, "Well, we had to respond somehow to that amazing trend all of those Lucian shippers worked so hard for. We Want Lucian to Ustream was not exactly subtle on their part." They shared a small chuckle before she continued, "We should do it again soon though. That was the most fun I've had in a while."

"After going to Las Vegas this past weekend with all your friends? Really? I'm surprised."

"Well, there are my friends and there is my wittle baby Shmian." Lucy stretched up to ruffle his hair, "Well, I really ought to go."

Ian walked her to the door of his apartment and held it open for her. He took a deep breath, "Maybe we could give those Lucian shippers something to ship about. Maybe dinner before you go to Vancouver this weekend?"

She looked taken aback at his words, blinking at him in extreme surprise, "Ian, I-I…..you know I have a boyfriend."

He clenched his jaw and shoved his free hand in his pocket. It was true. She had a boyfriend. Chris. That dude from that witch show after the Vampire Diaries on Thursday nights. He knew from those few minutes he spent on Twitter once every few days that the couple indirectly tweeted one another and Lucy got some of her fans to watch the show. He also knew that the Lucian shippers were not happy about it. And to be honest, neither was he. After getting to know Lucy from playing her love interest on Pretty Little Liars as well as befriending her off set between dinners at their apartments, attending red carpet events, and just hanging out like the friends they'd become, he knew what kind of guy she was looking for; a funny, sweet, romantic, and outgoing man who did not smoke. And as far as Ian knew, he was all of those things. Chris, on the other hand….

Ian's whole body tensed as she moved away from him, her eyes not leaving his face. Her own expression held sadness and regret, "Don't make me choose, Ian. Please I really gave to go."

He held up his arms and smiled darkly, his eyes narrowed, "Go then. I'm not going to stop you."

"Fine. I'll see you then." She retorted and walked away, down the hall and out of sight.

You know the feeling when your heart shatters like glass inside of your chest, making it feel like air is not making it to your lungs, and just a gut-wrenching pain in the pit of your stomach? That's what Ian felt as he watched Lucy walk away.

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><p><em>Been there before and you've been there before,<br>But together we can be alright  
>'Cause when it gets dark and when it gets cold<br>We hold each other 'til we see the sunlight._

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><p>Lucy didn't even remember the dinner she just so desperately had to get to. It came and went like a breeze on a hot summer day. She was soon sitting on the couch of her apartment, her legs curled underneath her as she balanced her laptop on her lap. Jack was curled up beside her, his big eyes staring up at her. She reached down to pat his soft head before turning back to the screen, her eyes skimming her Twitter mentions.<p>

She saw that one of her fans that she was following had posted a link to the recorded Ustream she and Ian had done just earlier that night. How they got it to YouTube so quickly truly amazed her. She clicked on the link and leaned back to watch.

As soon as it was done buffering, she saw what her and Ian's fans had been watching. She giggled at most of the things that Ian and she had said; their conversations were so light and easy. She could tell that she looked comfortable with him. She sure _felt _comfortable with him. She could talk to him about anything. Even more so than any of her girl friends. Or even more than her boyfriend. When she was around Ian, it felt like everything was _right_. He was such a bright and happy spirit, bouncing around like a man child all the time, even on those mornings when they had to be on the Warner Bros. lot at 3 a.m. Sometimes it wasn't even caffeine. It was just _Ian _and his beautiful and hyper personality.

She watched for a while longer, her eyes resting on Ian's face. Lucy could see why all those teenage girls looked at him as if he were an angel. He had a nice face to look at, that was for sure. His jaw was chiseled perfectly and his dark blue eyes…..she often pretended not to know his eye color, but after all those kissing scenes they have had to film for the show, she'd have to be as blind as Jenna Marshall to not notice how beautiful those sapphire eyes were, always warm and glimmering with friendliness. He was such a great guy. Any girl would be lucky to have him.

What she hadn't noticed before was how he looked at her when she'd been reading the social stream. His face was soft and loving, his arm caressing her shoulders. The way he looked at her was unbelievable. It reminded her of how he looked at her when he was playing Ezra and she was playing Aria while they were filming. However, that had been acting. This Ustream was proof that the feelings Ian felt for her just wasn't for their forbidden on-screen romance. _It was something way more than that._

Lucy sighed and shut her laptop down. She glanced down at Jack and he picked up his newly shaven head. She smiled down at her dog and patted his head. He licked her hand and nudged it in the direction of her laptop. She gazed at the small dog with astonishment. What was he trying to tell her? That he knew that she was feeling the same things that Ian was? That she loved him more than one of her closest friends; someone that she thought she looked at as a brother that she was now feeling _romantic _emotions for?

A buzz came from her cell phone and she glanced at it, hoping it was Ian. Unfortunately it wasn't. Why would he call her, especially after what just happened? No, it wasn't Ian. It was Shay, probably calling to find out how the Ustream went.

"_Hey, Lucegoose. I just watched some of the Ustream on YouTube. You guys were hysterical."_

"Thanks, Shay." Lucy smiled, "I think all the fans really enjoyed it."

"_All of those Lucian shippers are probably in hysterics right now. You two were sure acting like a couple in the honeymoon stage of their relationship." _Shay said, a teasing tone to her voice.

"What are you talking about?"

Shay hesitated for a moment before slowly replying, "_Luce, do you not notice how you two act around one another? It's like being around Ryan and Ashley, or Patrick and Troian. Ian looks at you like it'll be the last time he sees you and he's savoring the moments he has with you before you have to leave."_

Even her friends noticed. Why couldn't she and Ian just continue the easy friendship that they have together?

Because life sucks, that's why.

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><p><em>So if you just hold my hand,<br>Baby, I promise that I'll do all I can  
>Things will go better if you just hold my hand<br>Nothing can come between us if you just hold my hand_

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><p>On Friday, Ian still felt like crap. He felt like a leprechaun had done a tap dance on his heart with a pair of cleats on its feet. He hadn't spoken to Lucy since Wednesday and he didn't even plan on talking to her. He was just going to chill and read for the rest of the day. Possibly go hang out with Keegan and his cat, Mini. Yes, he, Ian Harding, the twenty-five year old man that teenage girls fangirlled over constantly, was going to go hang with a fellow castmate on a Friday night along with that castmate's cat.<p>

Ian was just getting ready to go run to his favorite bookstore when his home phone rang. He went to go see who was calling and caller ID read _Lucy. _He sighed. He couldn't just keep avoiding her. He answered the phone hesistantly and said a polite, "Hello?"

"_Ian, hey. I'm glad I got a hold of you before I get on the plane."_

"Oh you're still going to Vancouver to see Chris?"

Lucy's voice held disappointment, "_Yeah. We planned this a while ago."_

Ian rolled his eyes and sulkily replied, "A while ago? You two have been dating just over two months. There isn't really much time to fit in 'a while ago'."

"_I don't really like that comment very much." _Lucy snarkily said, "_You're still not upset over what happened the other night are you?"_

He shook his head even though he knew that she couldn't see him do it, "Lucy, how would you like me to react to what you told me? "Don't make me choose' and 'I have a boyfriend'. Tell me, Luce. Who was there for you when you and Alex broke up? Who was there for you when people were sending you hate online? Was it any of your boyfriends? _No. I _was there every step of the way. But I may not be here waiting for you forever, Lucy. I could get another job offer after PLL ends and I may have to move to New York or London or Hong Kong. I may find a girl who returns the feelings that I have for her." He took a deep breath before continuing, "Do you think I like seeing you get hurt? _No. _It kills me inside knowing that someone hurt you and there is nothing I can do but give you a hug and tell you that it's going to be okay. I am asking you right now, that if you have any feelings for me at all, don't go to Canada today. Come over to my apartment and we can just hang out, like we always do."

Lucy didn't respond and Ian whispered, "Lucy, are you still there?"

It wasn't long before he heard the dial tone on the other end of the call.

_We're sorry, but your call has been disconnected._

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><p><em>The nights are gettin' darker<br>And there's no peace inside  
>So why make our lives harder<br>By fighting love tonight, baby?_

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><p>Two hours later, Lucy glanced around the bookstore, her fingers drumming against the armrest of the couch. She knew that if there was any chance of seeing Ian on a Friday afternoon, she knew that he would come here.<p>

This small bookstore was his favorites. He came here to get a pumpkin spice latte and sit down in one of the lounging areas to read, relaxed and just enjoying some time to himself. Sometimes fans would hunt him down and ask him for an autograph or a picture. Because he was the sweet guy he was, he would always drop his novel and talk to the people who supported him and got him to where he was today. He loved his fans like crazy and he knew that they loved him too.

Lucy had escaped the airport right before she got on the plane. What Ian had said about him always being there for her struck so much truth into her core that even through her conflicting feelings for him she could see. He loved her and as much as she wanted things to be different, she knew that she loved him back. And she wouldn't let Chris or any other guy come in between what amazing chemistry they had together.

Finally, at exactly four, she recognized Ian's messy haired head weave through the front doors of the bookstore. The cashiers greeted him and he waved back, a forced smile on his face. He was upset and Lucy knew that she was the one who was making him that way.

She watched him buy his coffee and pick up a copy of _The Pearl _by John Steinbeck before he finally faced her. His jaw dropped in amazement as she stood to her feet and went to stand in front of him, a small smile forming at the corners of her lips.

"Lucy?" His voice echoed shock and surprise, his own grin beginning to appear, "Aren't you supposed to be on a plane?"

She shrugged, reaching up to softly caress his cheek, her thumb running over the fuzzy stubble forming on the thin surface of his skin, "No, I don't think so."

Ian pursed his soft pink lips, narrowing his beautiful sapphire blue eyes, "Are you sure? I thought that-"

"Hush." She interrupted him, "You were right. Why go all the way to another country when I have all that I need right here?"

"I didn't want to force you to make you choose, Luce. I just wanted you to know how I feel about you."

She nodded, her dark hair bouncing at the sides of her face, "I know, Shmian. I know. And I was clueless to not have noticed earlier."

His face broke out into a bright smile, "So, what does that mean for us, now?" He didn't get an answer. Their lips were already just inches apart and they finally met in the middle.

A brush of two hands. Skin meeting skin, making fireworks jump off the surface. A locking of two gazes, one hazel and one blue. Both brown-haired and casually dressed. Lips locked in such a powerful embrace, that neither of them could ever be thinking about anything else besides one another.

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><p><em>I can tell that you're tired of being lonely<br>Take my hand, don't let go  
>Come to me, let me be your one and only<br>'cause I can make it alright 'til the morning  
>I can tell that you're tired of being lonely <em>


End file.
